How can the food industry address the ticking time bomb of type 2 diabetes?

Jaime Schwartz: 'For those diagnosed with prediabetes, the first line of defense in preventing diabetes is to lose weight, not to eat specially formulated products'

Related tags:
Diabetes, Prediabetes

Given that one in three American adults is expected to develop type 2 diabetes by 2050, and poor diet and lack of exercise may be largely to blame, what can food and beverage manufacturers do to tackle this epidemic?

Should they focus on cutting sugar? Use more complex carbs? Experiment with a new wave of natural ingredients claimed to curb blood sugar spikes? And if so, how should they market these products? Low GI? Sustained energy? For 'healthy blood glucose'?

Alternatively, should they avoid talking about blood sugar and diabetes altogether given that dietary guidelines for people with diabetes and pre-diabetes
(elevated blood sugar) are the same as for the general population (click here
) and consumers struggle with the concept of ‘healthy blood sugar’ anyway?

To address these questions, FoodNavigator-USA spoke to experts in nutrition and marketing to get their perspective on where the opportunities lie.

Datamonitor: ‘Blood glucose management’ concept does not resonate with the general public yet

First, we caught up with Datamonitor innovation insights director Tom Vierhile, who observed that terms such as ‘blood glucose’ are rarely used in new product launches.

Meanwhile, he said, “It isn’t clear that foods that help keep blood glucose levels healthy would necessarily provide benefits above and beyond simply cutting back on calories in general, and improving the quality of the diet.”

The Tom Hanks effect?

Tom Vierhile: "The ‘blood glucose management’ concept just does not resonate with the general public yet. In the US, about 0.5% of new food and non-alcoholic beverages are making a low GI claim but it is not increasing in usage."

While diabetics are most likely to be interested in regulating blood glucose, he noted, “I am not sure they are necessarily interested in limiting their field of vision to products specifically tailored to their medical condition.

“The ‘blood glucose management’ concept just does not resonate with the general public yet. In the US, about 0.5% of new food and non-alcoholic beverages are making a low GI claim but it is not increasing in usage.

“Even the more common type 2 diabetes is still not top-of-mind with many consumers, although that is changing. The recent disclosure by Tom Hanks (joining Paula Deen, among others) that he suffers from type 2 diabetes may help put consumers into more of a prevention versus treatment mindset concerning the issue.”

What is far more likely is the gradual demonization of products that are high in sugar

Datamonitor: It isn’t clear that foods that help keep blood glucose levels healthy would necessarily provide benefits above and beyond simply cutting back on calories in general, and improving the quality of the diet

He added: “I think what is far more likely is the gradual demonization of products that are high in sugar. According to Datamonitor Consumer’s 2013 Global Consumer Survey, 55% of consumers said they are trying to limit sugar intake.”

As for the recently approved (highly) qualified health claim for whole grains and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (click her
e), the wording will “resonate with law students and budding wordsmiths, but sounds too much like a disclaimer at the end of a car ad than any kind of endorsement that may change consumer behavior”, predicted Vierhile.

It isn’t really clear that consumers see view a ‘blood sugar spike’ as a major issue to contend with

So what does he think of natural ingredients that can regulate potential spikes in blood sugar?

They sound promising, said Vierhile, although it “isn’t really clear that consumers see view a ‘blood sugar spike’ as a major issue to contend with”.

Meanwhile, you have to wonder whether consumers “would simply be better off avoiding sugar-laden products to begin with”, he added.

“It is more plausible and likely that consumers will simply avoid the offending foods and beverages in the first place, than seek out exotic product solutions that would require an extensive amount of advertising dollars to explain and support.”

Lori Colman on messaging: " 'Sustained energy' has been usurped by energy drinks; fuller for longer, by fiber”, she claimed, while “talk of blood glucose and glycemic index seem way too medical food-ish”.

Next we picked the brains of Lori Colman, co-CEO at branding and marketing agency CBD Marketing, who observed that “there are plenty of healthy foods to consume that will not lead to diabetes” which are “primarily unprocessed and therefore, not an opportunity for food manufacturers to ‘tap into’ ”.

As for consumers that have not yet got diabetes or pre-diabetes, most “would rather cross that bridge if they come to it rather than worry about prevention”, she pointed out.

However, there is always more room for education by food manufacturers or retailers (nutritionists as shopping assistants, shopping lists, apps for condition specific eating), she said.

“I would love to have a ‘safe for diabetics’ stamp on products that are minimally processed. But that’s a claim that will be hard to get through!”

Looking at messaging, “sustained energy has been usurped by energy drinks; fuller for longer, by fiber”, she claimed, while “talk of blood glucose and glycemic index seem way too medical food-ish”.

Jeff Hilton: People assume that since diabetes is a medical condition, they can't take control of managing it without a doctor’s permission

Jeff Hilton: "People assume that since diabetes is a defined medical condition, that they can't really take control of managing that without a doctor’s permission and assistance."

Jeff Hilton, founder of branding and marketing agency BrandHive, says it is interesting to contrast the success of the gluten-free market with the ‘healthy blood glucose’ market - given that far more people are affected by diabetes and pre-diabetes than celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

However, it was not really surprising, he said: “I think being labeled as ‘diabetic’ is a negative burden to bear as opposed to carb-cutting or eating gluten free as a healthier alternative. Diabetes means that something is seriously wrong with you and we don't like to admit or acknowledge that.

“Plus people assume that since diabetes is a defined medical condition, that they can't really take control of managing that without a doctor’s permission and assistance.”

As for messaging, he said, “consumers don't get Low-GI, and since we can't talk about diabetes per se, the only relevant claim has been ‘helps maintain a healthy blood glucose level’.

Whole grain diabetes claim: ‘Manufacturers would use anything that FDA allows them to say no matter how ‘qualified’ it is’

As for the new whole grains qualified health claim, it’s better than nothing, he said. “This is such a challenging market segment that I think manufacturers would use anything that FDA allows them to say no matter how qualified it is.”

As for natural ingredients that can curb blood sugar spikes, he is more positive than Colman. “Let's be honest; most consumer love a ‘pill’ or ‘magic ingredient’ which allows them to do what they want and eat what they please but not suffer the consequences.

“So anything which could make formerly off-limit foods permissible has great potential. Not an easy proposition to explain or sell, however.”

Jaime Schwartz: There are many ideal dietary patterns, but no individual foods

Jaime Schwartz MS,RD: For those diagnosed with prediabetes, the first line of defense in preventing diabetes is to lose weight, not to eat specially formulated products

Next we talked to Jaime Schwartz, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and Vice President at leading PR and marketing agency Ketchum, who was skeptical about foods specifically formulated to help maintain healthy blood glucose levels.

“For those diagnosed with prediabetes, the first line of defense in preventing diabetes is to lose weight, not to eat specially formulated products,” she remarked.

“There is also a misconception among many individuals with diabetes and prediabetes that they need to focus on sugar free foods and they look at labels for grams of sugar rather than carbs.”

Meanwhile, she added, “Insulin resistance, the underlying problem of type 2 diabetes, starts long before blood glucose levels even reach the prediabetes range. There are no common tests to look for early insulin resistance, except in the research setting. There are no ideal foods anyway to keep blood glucose levels in a healthy range.

“There are many ideal dietary patterns, but no individual foods. There is no reason to be concerned with blood glucose levels unless one has diabetes or insulin resistance.”

Beverly Murray: In our zeal to have our cake and eat it too, we are once again taking a path that is not necessarily encouraging an informed and truly healthy diet

Beverly Murray: Supplements that mitigate the effects of carb-containing foods might have commercial potential, but should be treated with caution

Last but not least we spoke to Beverly Murray, founder of branding agency R+M, who said that 'healthy blood glucose' was probably easier to understand - and more positive - than 'low-GI', which was "unnecessarily complex" for consumers to get their heads around.

Meanwhile, supplements that mitigate the effects of carb-containing foods might have commercial potential, but should perhaps be treated with caution.

“Of course in our zeal to have our cake and eat it too (perhaps literally), we are once again taking a path that is not necessarily encouraging an informed and truly healthy diet.”

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Given that one in three American adults is expected to develop type 2 diabetes by 2050, and poor diet and lack of exercise may be largely to blame, what can food and beverage manufacturers do to tackle this epidemic?

6 comments(Comments are now closed)

Unfortunate Situation

It is unfortunate for the processed food industry that they are stuck. It has become clear to many that the very foods the food industry produces is the cause of the diabetes debacle discussed in this article.

There are three sources of energy in food Carbohydrates, Fats, an Proteins. Any of these can serve as fuel to the human body, but only carbohydrates can cause a rise in blood sugar. It is also true that carbohydrates are the lowest cost, most heavily subsidized and most amenable to modification of the three. Since low cost and palatability are what sells we have on the shelves a great variety of low cost carbohydrates that increase the blood sugar and triglycerides of the entire population. The most unfortunate part is that there is no magic ingredient which will undo what has been done. No amount of tinkering with the formula or adding of novel ingredients or new marketing slogan will make the carbohydrates suddenly act like fats in the body. The only real solution is to quit eating tons of great tasting cheep processed carbohydrates and return to eating moderate carbohydrate nutrient dense foods. Unfortunately this puts the purveyors of low cost carbohydrates out of business and that includes most of the US food industry. It was almost funny reading the quotes in this article and observing the various ways people tried to wiggle around this central fact without actually stating it directly. My suggestion for food manufacturers is t0 engage the government in a process of slowly evolving into subsidizing more nutrient dense foods and abandon the low-fat gravy train that has sustained them for so long. Failure to do so will likely be a disaster in the long run for both the people that eat their product and the companies themselves as people are learning better ways to eat.

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Posted by Jerry Segers14 November 2013 | 16h212013-11-14T16:21:48Z

It's Time To Substitute Healthier Fiber For Cheaper (subsidized) Starches In Our Foods

The science is clear: We’d have less spikes in our blood sugar, if we ate more often and we ate foods that didn’t cause glycemic index spikes. Those spikes cause inflammation, which is the root of many degenerative diseases, not just diabetes.

The history is clear, too: During a time when just getting enough food was an issue, our Government started to subsidize the growing of certain crops (corn, wheat, soybeans), to ensure that farmers were incentivized to grow enough and make those foods plentiful. Of course, the fact that they were plentiful, and partially subsidized by government dollars, profit motivation caused their use to become pervasive in our foodstuffs and diet. Hence the birth of the “Western World’s Diet”.

A couple of years ago, on the heals of some very authoritative clinical trials that showed that certain fibers could slow-down digestion and lower glycemic index and triglyercides in the blood, the Chinese Government (as a matter of national security) launched an initiative to fortify many of its foods with fiber; as this would help keep their population more lean and (fighting) fit.

It’s time for food manufactures with a conscience, to start looking at their use of ingredients with create a high glycemic index. And... If that’s not enough... Maybe our Government should take a harder look at which crops it continues to subsidize. It would be an easy thing to encourage our farmers to grow lots of Konjac Root (fiber) instead of Corn (starch).

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Posted by Michael Arlen01 November 2013 | 16h362013-11-01T16:36:24Z

sugar

http://youtu.be/dBnniua6-oM

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Posted by JIm Larsen31 October 2013 | 23h012013-10-31T23:01:53Z

how Can Food Industry Address Ticking time bomb of Type 2 Diabetes

The fact is the bomb is not ticking, but exploding as a pandemic of obesity and Type 2 diabetes not only in adults, but most alarmingly, in more and more youngsters. The industry must be in coalition with public health and preventive medicine in providing the kind of better products and informational awareness in lifestyle and nutrition to make a difference--otherwise, we will see more and more legislation from the political arena as an effort for sincere as well as phony and ill informed political interventions.

Confusing to the Consumer - but the science is clear

The much-derided Robert Atkins was right in most of what he wrote and the current trend for low fat/high carb diet is a recipe for the disaster which is gradually emerging. Most people interpret the Atkins diet as stating you can eat as much fat as you like but in reality the amount of fat and protein remains the same but the simple carbohydrates are reduced so that the energy intake is reduced and the balance of nutrients adjusted. Atkins essentially works in 3 phases with gradually increasing carbs intake until the desired weight/BMI is achieved and then a maintenance diet should be followed and weight monitored closely and the carb intake fine-tuned to achieve a steady weight.

There is a huge amount of scientific data to support Atkins if you trouble to look for it.

Atkins later writings moderate the diet compared with his initial stance and utilises more complex carbs in order to help prolong satiety and good energy levels. It is pretty simple for anyone to follow this approach and to get their metabolism under control.

We should all remember, there are no unhealthy foods only unhealthy diets and balance is the key.

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Posted by Mike Pusey29 October 2013 | 10h252013-10-29T10:25:56Z

Confusing at best

Why should people care, nothing makes sense anymore. People are being told to eat less and at the same time eat 300 grams or more of carbs a day. At 4 calories per gram that is almost as many calories a day as some people who are already overweight and insulin resistant should have. Whole grain carbs turn to sugar just like refined carbs. They might take a little longer before hunger sets in again but only if you eat large quantities. There are plenty of studies, largely ignored, showing that moderate protein and saturated fats with a lower amount of carbs, especially grain carbs, will satisfy hunger for longer and reduce the desire for high sugar/high calorie foods. Start telling people the truth instead of asking them to starve themselves or become marathon runners and maybe they'll listen.

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